1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a liquid droplet ejection apparatus in which a connection tube, or the like, made of a resin and connecting each of the relevant members together, e.g., a function liquid droplet ejection head and a function liquid tank together, is grounded. It also relates to: a method of manufacturing an electro-optic device; an electro-optic device; and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet printing apparatus which is conventionally known as a kind of liquid droplet ejection apparatus has mounted an ink jet head for ejecting ink on a carriage which is arranged to be movable back and forth (in a reciprocating manner). In the apparatus, the ink jet head and the ink cartridge (ink tank) for supplying the ink jet head with ink are connected together by an ink supply tube (connection tube) (see, e.g., Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-270133).
The ink jet head (function liquid droplet ejection head) of this kind of ink jet printing apparatus is capable of ejecting minute ink droplets in the form of dots at a higher accuracy. Therefore, it is expected to be applied to the field of manufacturing various products. It is thus considered to introduce various kinds of liquid materials, as the function liquid, into the function liquid droplet ejection head of the liquid droplet ejection apparatus. As a result, since it is expected that various kinds of function liquids are introduced into the liquid droplet ejection apparatus, a corrosion resistant resin tube is used in a function liquid flow passage which leads from the function liquid tank for storing therein the function liquid to the function liquid ejection head.
In addition, the liquid droplet ejection apparatus is provided with a wiping unit for wiping away the function liquid that has adhered to the function liquid droplet ejection head. The wiping unit receives a supply of cleaning liquid from a cleaning liquid tank. In order to be prepared for the possibility that various kinds of cleaning liquids are used depending on the function liquids, a connection tube of resin make having corrosion resistance is used in the cleaning liquid flow passage from the function liquid tank to the wiping unit.
As described above, in the liquid droplet ejection apparatus, the function liquid flow passage and the cleaning liquid flow passage are constituted by connection tubes of resin make out of consideration of the corrosion resistance against the function liquid and the cleaning liquid. However, the connection tubes of resin make are liable to generate static electricity. In case a function liquid or a cleaning liquid using a solvent of low flash point is introduced, the static electricity may give rise to an adverse effect on the apparatus. In case an arrangement is made such that the connection tube moves to follow the scanning of the function liquid droplet ejection head, the static electricity is likely to occur particularly in the moving portions of the connection tube. As a result, there is a high possibility of giving an adverse effect on the apparatus.